Sleeping In Blood Soaked Waters
by the white pheonix 2
Summary: 30 years on from the last book. Jacob and nessie express their passionate and errotic love for eachother. But a creature enters thier lives, could this mystery be the most dangorous wepon they have ever met? Will their son Jason survive the encounter?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Human Challenges**

Almost 30 years had passed since the confrontation with the Valturi in the woods near to the small rainy town of Forks. As had always been the plan, soon after the confrontation, the Cullen's left along with Jacob, to travel north and stay with Tanya's family in Denali. Jacob kept in touch with his pack through his connection with Sam when he was phased into a wolf. But he could not bare to stand one day away from Renesmee so he would follow her wherever the family went. Carlisle home schooled both Renesme and Jacob in the years they had spent away from Forks, after a couple of years Jacob had taken what he felt he needed from Carlisle's teaching to be able to support his growing family. That consisted of himself, Renesmee and their son Jason, who at the beginning of our story was 18 years old and looking forward to his first semester at Harvard Law thanks to Carlisle's expert tutoring. To the Cullen's family's delight, Jason had aged much as any other mortal would, being carried by Renesmee for a full 9 month term and growing into a strong young man over the 18 years that followed.

But sombre news caused the family's return to Forks

**Book 1**

**Renesmee**

I sat at the kitchen table flicking through an album of pictures that my mother had given me. Next to my hand was a note from Sam uly telling us when the funeral was. Our little home was in a sombre mood at the news that my most beloved grandfather had passed away almost a week ago at the age of 78. I knew that my mother Bella would be in such pain. We had been in their house when they had received the news. It had caused my parents to sell their little renovated boathouse and move back in with the rest of my father's side of the family. There was never any question that we would return to forks for the funeral, but my head was turning over how logistically that was going to work. It was going to frighten most of Charlie's friends if his daughter turns up at the age of 49 years old looking as fresh and as beautiful as she did when she was 18, along with the rest of our age frozen family.

I heard the gravel crunch on the end of our long dirt drive and quickly wiped the tears from under my eyes. But I did not close the album and continued to flick though its pages. I listened as I heard my wonderful husband walk up the path with his heavy footsteps when he came in though the door I called to him

"Hey my love"

I called without looking up

"Hey ness'!"

He replied in a cheerful tone. He was always on a high when he came home from work he loved his work. He now owned his own garage and had a healthy business renovating and renting out classic cars to rich businessmen, holidaymakers, and weddings. We drove away from our own wedding in a very nice Bentley that he had restored for me as a wedding present. It was my very precious car and I was sad that it wasn't going to last forever like I was.

Jacob went to trudge into the house in big muddy boots before he could take 2 steps I calmly called to him again from the kitchen

"Boots…"

There was a huffing sound from the porch that made me break a small smile. Jacob then trudged into the kitchen to meet me. My tastes were not as rustic as those of my mother. I liked the clean lines and smooth surfaces much like the ones my grandmother Esme preferred. She had helped me to decorate the kitchen when we had arrived here. We had lived in different towns since leaving forks but Jacob had always been in commuting distance to be able to keep his business. The business managed to have enough anonymity to allow him to remain unaged without it being to obvious, he mostly spoke to his clients on the phone and delivered the cars to the houses when they were not there. It made it a lonely business but Jacob said he didn't mind that because he had the voices in his head to keep him company. When he said the voices in his head he of course meant the rest of his pack who he left back in the land near Forks to guard the people there from any supernatural goings on that might threaten them, especially as it seemed to be a supernatural hotspot.

Jacob came and kissed me on the back of the neck when he came into the room and wrapped his massive warm arms around me, kissing down the side of my neck to my collar bone.

"whatcha looking at?"

He remarked when he saw the album open in front of me

"Its just an album with some pictures of Charlie… I wanted to make sure I hadn't forgotten his face you know?"

Jacobs's rather erotic behaviour suddenly changed to comforting warmth that he wrapped round me like a blanket. He made me feel safe from all harm when he did that it made all my problems seem to shrink down into proportion.

Jacob remained leant down over me looking that pictures for himself now. I took advantage of his closeness and rested my cheek against his neck and closed my eyes, drawing in the smell of him so soft and warm and smelling of motor oil. That was the smell I loved so much it belonged to me so completely.

Jacob was the one to break my concentration on his amazing fragrance when he pointed to a picture,

"You look so beautiful in this picture Nessie, and look at how proud Charlie and your parents look, Bella looks just about ready to explode with pride"

Jacob chuckled at the thought of what my mother exploding from pride would have looked like. The picture was a graduation picture. It had me and my parents and my Granddad in it with me in the centre holding up my degree in medical nursing. I had picked up Carlisle's bug for medicine and helping people. But I had been a housewife to Jacob in this little town for the past 6 years with no time for my own job. I did the accounts for the car business and I had so many other activities. I taught first aid to local schools (all voluntary) and I taught some local children the piano as well. My time had been filled. It was only when I looked at that photograph that I realised how much I missed nursing.

"Hey ness… you ok?"

Jacob asked as he kissed my cheek.

I hesitated, Jacob always saw right through my emotions but I prided myself on being a better liar then my mother who wore all her emotions on her sleeves.

"Yeah I'm fine… Hey have you had a text from Jason yet? I sent him an email to him, and tried to ring his mobile and the halls but I have got no answer to any of them? Do you think I should ring the main reception?"

I had been worried for a few days that I had not heard from my son Jason for nearly 2 weeks I had phoned him to tell him the bad news and tried to break it to him as gently as I could. In all truth he had never known Charlie all that well. We had restrictions on our visits, as the town of forks would have moved on so far from the time we had left it behind. And would be considered a breech of cover to turn up when people would see us. Even though we were only a few hours away, we had not taken Jason to visit as many times as maybe we should, and it made me suddenly quite sad that he had missed having that person as a prominent character in the story of his life.

Jason had said that he would ring me back or contact me when he knew if he would come to the funeral. But I knew he was very busy.

"I think you are over reacting Renesmee, he is at college let the guy have some fun?"

I pulled away from his clutches and looked at him with harsh eyes knowing that I was over reacting deliberately but Jacob had to be kept in his place other wise I would gladly let him walk all over me.

"Don't be such a heartless bastard! my grandfather as just died…"

There was a bit of a pause while he looked at me with more understanding

"I'm sorry ness… I didn't mean that… I'm sure he will ring ok? You want me to have a go?"

I deliberately pressed my lips together to make it look like I was still cross under the surface and I nodded my head. As Jacob turned his back to go into the living room I broke a slight smirk, I had got exactly what I wanted. Jason may not pick up a phone call from me, but he would certainly not decline a call from his dad. He had been so close to Jacob right from the beginning, father son and best of friends, the ultimate partners in crime. My sensitive hearing picked up Jacob closing the door to the living room and slumping on the couch with his phone in his lap (yes my hearing was that good) he dialled the number and I could faintly hear the phone ringing on the other end as I went back to sit with my photo album to eavesdrop.

"Ring Ring… Ring Ring"

"Hello?"

"Hey Jase!"

Jason sounded like he had just woken up but it was 6pm in the evening, living the collage life indeed, busy indeed! I tusked and grumbled to my self

"Oh… hey dad…"

His tone was a bit hesitant he knew that questions were coming

"What you been up to son? Your mum has been worried you have drowned in a beer glass or something? She has been waiting for your call…"

"Oh… is she in the house?"

I knew he knew I would be listening if I was anywhere in the vicinity and so did Jacob which explained his next answer.

"Nope… She is at some first aid thing or something to do with the school… I forget"

Jacob was very good at acting casual, something I found very sexy in him.

"Oh right.. Coz I have been thinking about … You know… coming down in the next few days? And…."

I was disappointed as his tone sounded hesitant and negative, but Jacob interrupted

"It would mean a lot to your mum kid? She also cant wait to hear how Harvard law is treating you?… and she has been missing those brown eyes of yours too.. She misses you a lot Jason?"

"I know. And you really shouldn't watch mum's dreams isn't it kind invasive?"

Jacob had discovered many years ago that if he placed my palm on his face as I slept he could read my dreams; I had never minded that it was a nice feeling to share everything I had with him.

"naaa she loves it" Jake chuckled " so.. The funeral?…."

It was the first time Jacob had said those words in that conversation probably taking care not to scare him off to soon.

"Dad I?…."

There was long pause and Jacob said nothing

"I'm really sorry. I cant afford to miss the time here, and I'm sure its gonna be complicated enough without me there?"

Jacob said nothing for a minute. Jason had also been a bit of a tear-away, even if a very bright and talented one, he had always kept his hair long like his dad had it when he was a young teenager and he had a tattoo of a dream catcher done on his back when he was 14 when I was away on a nursing conference I had been furious at the time, but I took the advice from my aunt Alice that if I let him have his rebellious moment then he would go to Harvard and study law like I wanted him to. So I had only really made a play out of being cross when I hadn't been as cross as I made out. It was a very attractive tattoo in the end anyway.

"That's a real shame kido your mums gonna be really disappointed you know?…."

There was another painful pause

"…well ok if that's how you feel… anyway how goes collage? You meeting some good people"

"yeah yeah some really cool people"

Jason replied distractedly

"umm sorry dad this kinda isn't a good time?"

Then very quietly in the background I was sure I could hear a woman breathing? As if she was stirring in her sleep?

"I will call you sometime next week ok?… after the… well anyway talk to you soon ok?"

"Ok bye son"

Jacob sounded very disappointed. Like a teenager who had just lost the opportunity to go out on the town. I heard Jacobs's rough hands as they rubbed up over his face as if he could wipe the disappointment off his face.

"You get that ness?"

He called from the living room, knowing that I had heard every word

"Yes thanks"

I called back, '_thanks for trying' _I thought.

The remaining days till Charlie's funeral whizzed by before I had really noticed. Alice had got all the women black mourning veils to wear so that no one would see our faces. It was only Jacob, my Dad Edward, and my Granddad Carlisle who planned to accompany us in the service, they had high collared dress coats that they would fold up around their faces and also hold the umbrellas low to hide their identify (as forks was bound to be rainy) that should prevent anyone recognising them. Alice had it all planned and knew that we could not be seen for the immortals that we were, we would be able to mourn in peace.

The day of the funeral arrived. The morning was thick with grey rain that made the sun seem like a distant memory. We had all arrived at the old house that sat as a small part of my very early memories. Esme had all but built this house from scratch and it shone with her taste. None of the main furniture had moved even though no one had lived here for over 20 years but once the dust covers were removed and my beloved family filled the rooms again it felt like home, and as if we had never really left.

We drove to the funeral with not one of us talking. My mothers deep brown hair flowed beautifully over her shoulders as she sat next to me in the back seat of the black non descript car we had hired for the occasion. She made no sobbing sounds but she held my hand and the hand of my aunt Alice who sat on her other side. I could just about feel her trembling as we travelled, she was trying to keep her self together as I knew her emotions must be so tight right now. I couldn't even imagine how I would feel loosing my father. We were so close it would half kill me to loose him. I gripped my mum's hand tighter and she gripped mine back.

We pulled up to the cemetery and in the thick rain we could see where the occasion was going to stand. We walked slowly over in the pouring rain leaving my uncle Emmet and aunt Rose along with my uncle Jasper with the cars. They never knew Charlie all that well we saw no reason to push our luck.

The ceremony was short and very appropriate. Lots and lots of people showed up to say farewell to the ex-police chief who had cared so much for the town called Forks. As we passed the grave on our way out we each through a flower and a handful of earth into the grave. My mothers hair was flicking like dark chocolate flames under her veil, her hair reached her waist and I wandered if it might give her away to people who might recognise her. When the service had finished we went back to the Cullen household in the woods to have our own wake for Charlie. We shared some stories and flicked through albums we had of my mum's childhood and of my own (brief as it had been). By the end of the evening the day had felt like a celebration of Charlie's life, and not a morning of his death.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Does it rain in heaven? It does in mine.

A few days passed after the funeral but we didn't seem to leave forks. We remained in the big white house and almost began to fall into a way of life here again. We often mentioned that we should go back to where we were currently living but some how this just felt like home for too many of us.

When I woke up in the morning, the smell of pine and damp wood was in the house. The big glass doors downstairs must have been open almost all night. When I walked down I saw Jacob standing looking out at the meadow that lead to the river outside the house. His beautiful sculpted back was too tempting to resist. I silently glided up behind him and warped my arms around his waist pressing my body against his firm back. He only jumped a tiny but when he felt me touch him, which made me smile as that was my intention.

"I thought I might go down and visit the house today?"

I knew which house he meant but I humoured him

"Your old house on the rez?"

"Yeah… you wanna come with me?"

I thought about it for a minute and I was pretty sure I knew what he was after.

"Yeah ok"

We ate breakfast together and we then made our way down to la push the Quileute reserve on the edge of the sea where the rest of Jacob's pack lived as well. Something in the air around Jacob was existed. He was home and I could feel it in the aura that surrounded him. As we pulled round the corner a little red wooden house came into view, it had been uninhabited for about 3 years and the garden had been taken over by nature. But the house wasn't at all ram-shackled.

As we walked up the path Jacob gripped my hand tightly. This house held lot of memories for him. He and his dad had been so happy hear all his young life. I knew that he had missed him so very much, but just like at Charlie's funeral we had come back and celebrated Billy's life along with the entire reserve. Jacob had been almost officially made chief of their tribe there and then, but he had respectfully declined. He knew it was not the right time for us to move back to Washington, it was too soon.

Jacob went and opened the stiff door, which was unlocked. This didn't surprise us, no one would dare trespass or vandalise this house, not with Sam Uley still watching over the Quileute pack. The rooms were empty but not soleless. We had all the furniture that Jacob had wanted to keep at our current house. As we looked around the house we found a few nic-nacks that we had left, there was a stained glass dream catcher in one of the windows that cast colourful patterns on the bleached wood of the floorboards in the early morning light. And an earthenware vase that Jacobs mum had made was in the bottom of one of the kitchen units. We kept the house and usually used it as a stop over every year or so that Jacob could visit his sisters and his pack here in Washington, we were always welcome to use the white house that my fathers family lived in which was probably much more comfortable and was fully furnished, where as this house was all but totally empty but I knew Jacob was comfortable here.

"Renesmee?"

Jacob called to me as I ran my fingers through the coloured light from the glass dream catcher.

"Yes my love?"

I replied nonchalantly

"I was thinking …. It's been a long time hasn't it. Since we lived here… in this area I mean."

I knew where this was going and I didn't really want to stop him, but I liked him to say what he meant so I let him continue.

"Yes I suppose it has?"

I replied looking out of the side window. I could see the sea as it stretched grey and smooth out of the bay, like a sheet of satin, stretched between the cliffs.

"I have been thinking about this for a while ness? I think we should move back?"

I didn't answer him even though I had already made my decision.

"mmmm"

I replied looking away from him still, in a neutral tone. I wanted to hear his persuasion, see how many promises I could get out of him. I knew exactly how to get what I wanted. He came and wrapped his large arms around my waist and I was greeted by that rich natural scent of his again. It made me want to do anything he desired.

"We could do this house up? You could have Esme down and you could do it together with your mum?"

Again I said nothing just to see if there was more to it.

"I miss my pack brothers, it has been so long and I feel like we have grown apart. It's not good for them to have me so far away. And I miss my sisters. We have 3 nieces now that we hardly ever see… and I like the smell of the air here."

I waited while I leant my face against his neck. I could feel his hot blood rushing under his skin and he was tingling almost like he was still existed and it was infectious. I reached my hand up and touched his cheek to show him what I could see though the window with my emotions attached to those images. I showed him that I thought it was beautiful and like he had said, somehow it just felt like home. As I showed him the images a smile spread across his face as he saw that I was feeling the same thing as he was.

"So we can stay?"

He said to me though a grin showing his beautiful white teeth.

"I think we could manage that"

I said smiling back at him. I leant forward and kissed him deeply as he scooped me up in his arms making me giggle as he did so.

I craved his body. His skin was so warm it was like being wrapped in sunshine. My playful mood ebbed away as my craving for him began to rage in my chest. As my giggles faded so did his smile. He looked at me with burning brown eyes. He stepped backwards towards the old couch. It was covered in dust sheets but he sat down on them anyway, letting me rest down to sit draped on his lap.

My eyes remained locked on his; I leant myself forward to rest my cheek on his shoulder. When we were like this it was as if we could not get close enough to each other to satisfy ourselves. I laid my lips on his hot firm neck to lay kisses up to his jaw line. I felt him breath in and out slowly as if to gain control of himself. I loved it when I could make him shudder with desire. I couldn't keep my hands off him so I slipped my hand up under his shirt to run my fingers over his muscled chest. Jacob took another deep breath again and leant backwards deeper into the couch, closing his eyes. I knew what signal this was, so I slipped my hand down his chest to his belt. As I ran my other hand through the back of his hair and kissed his neck I very slowly undid his belt and the top button of his jeans his breath was getting shakier as I went on, and I liked it. I shuffled off his lap so that I could lie on him with one of my thighs resting across his lap.

With his head still back and his eyes still closed he slipped his hand around my leg behind my knee and pulled me closer. I let my chest roll in front of his, so that we were chest to chest. I ran my hand down lower and brushed the tips of my fingers below his belt line, he was even hotter down there. I moved from kissing his neck to kissing the corner of his mouth. I could feel his breathing was deep, and I could feel him quivering with anticipation. I slowly ran my hand deeper and deeper till I wrapped my hand around his shaft it felt like a rock under my fingers, and as I ran my hand up and down it was making his breathing quicken. I was getting exactly what I wanted. I was driving him mad with frustration; his hand crept along my thigh to my waist where he undid the button on my own white linen trousers. Then his hand continued to creep upwards to run along my skin and behind my back. He very skilfully unclipped my bra between his breathing gasps. He slipped his hot fingers under my bra and pressed my nipples between his fingers. I shifted to try and pull my self closer to him but I could not. Jacob knew what I wanted.

He was so good at taking complete control of my body in these situations. He rolled he body round so that he lay long ways on the couch wrapping me up against the back. When I was tucked into his chest like this it was the ultimate safe place. Nothing could ever harm me when I was in his arms like this, not grief not pain, not loss, nothing. His lips caressed mine as I ran my hands down unbuttoning his shirt. I knew he was doing the same to me. We were soon skin to skin and if felt so glorious, he was so smooth and firm all over; this must be what it feels like to love a God. Before I knew it, we had lost all our clothes and we were running our hands over each other while our lips her locked in tender passionate dancing. We were lying side by side on the couch and it felt like he was surrounding me. His heat was inescapable it was like bliss. Nothing could ever feel this good.

But then he slipped inside me, he was so big that it made me gasp, I loved getting him so existed that I could almost see his shaft throbbing. He lay there still for a moment while I pulsed around him, but he couldn't help but join in with my rhythm.

For such a big guy he was incredibly gentle. He held his hand behind my back as if I were made of glass; with his other hand he ran his thumb over my cheek. His movement was restricted by our position and I knew he was craving more.

"Have me any way you want me"

I whispered in his ear. As soon as I said this he effortlessly turned me over to lie under him. I was now totally absorbed by him. My entire world was Jacob Black my sight, my smell, my feel, and my taste, were all Jacob it felt amazing. He remained as gentle and as slow as ever, being careful not to hurt me even though I was as tough as he was. He thrust so gently so slowly. He arched his shoulders over me and I kissed his neck. His breathing was getting faster so I locked my ankles behind his back he was breathing hard now and I was loving every single sweet breath. He was thrusting faster and faster and I was panting faster with him. The way he was holding me was so tender, so gentle, and he filled me so completely it was as if we were two parts meant to be together; our bodies were fitting together like two halves of a whole. Jacob's breathing got faster and he was gritting his teeth, I could feel it welling up inside him, it did in me also. His throbbing shaft was growing with every thrust and I was getting tighter around him, then it came like a rushing in my blood it filled my whole body, I felt him feel the same and we were locked for what felt like the longest moment in total heavenly ecstasy. Jacob still making short tense thrusts.

Then our bodies relaxed and we met again in the hottest most tender kiss I pulled my face up to rub my cheek on his, he was burning all over. He rolled sideways to lie next to me, allowing my back to be exposed to the cool air in case I overheated. It was times like this when I felt that I was close enough to Jacob, when we were connected and he surrounded me, this was what it felt like to be satisfied. All the rest of the time I was craving to be closer to him. I tucked my head into the hollow near his shoulder and closed my eyes. He wrapped his arms around me; I was being wrapped in pleasure. I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing and his heart beating. He kissed me on the top of my head as he squeezed me tight.

"I love you"

I whispered totally absorbed in my bliss

"I love you Renesmee"

I allowed my senses to take me. The only thing that mattered was my physical feeling of total satisfaction and the sound of the love of my life breathing next to me holding me tight. I could hear the soft patter of the rain hitting the window behind me. Does it rain in heaven? Well it does in mine, because I have found it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – The most dangerous predator is, one you invite into your home willingly.

As a couple of weeks passed we started quickly on our little house project. I wanted to do all the work my self. And I wanted to make the most of the view of the sea. Much as I was sure Jacob loved the house I didn't want to be able to recognise the inside as 'his old house'. There was no sense in living in the past. I cut out the opened up in the sea facing wall. Cutting it open and making it much much bigger like an enormous mantle mounted painting that changed with the weather. There was sentimentality about having the house red but I changed the shade. I took the sharp edge off the colour and made it a little softer like a sea washed red. Far classier then the faded blood red it had been before. I changed the room layout inside to. Making the kitchen, hallways, and living room into one open plan space. This was now Jacob and my house; we were only expecting Jason back for visits now. We knew it was likely that he would not want to move back home when he finished. He had his own life to lead but wanted him to feel welcome all the same.

It was almost like we were a newly married couple again we flicked paint at one another with paint brushes and took lots of opportunities when we were alone to test the durability of various bits of furniture. I insisted on making up a room for Jason. He was always welcome here no matter what. He took the room that used to be Jacob's. But it was almost unrecognisable there were no ghosts, no unwelcome memories. Only new ones to be made. We had finished the living space, it was light and bright. Such a contrast to the weather outside. The wind whipped the sides of the house and the grey rain lashed at the large window in the living room wall. I had made a dish that was quite a favourite of Jacob and mine beef just scorched either side but still raw in the middle. We nibbled small bits with our fingers as we stood back and admired our work.

"Looks totally different doesn't it"

Jacob said as he chewed on the satisfying snack.

"All the right things are still here"

I replied as I grabbed the glass dream catcher from a box behind me and went and carefully hung it in the window. Despite a rain and the lack of sunshine it still cast very faint rainbows over the white furniture I had put in the room. I went back to Jacob and twirled myself into his body and rested in the hollow in his shoulder. I looked up at him with longing eyes. He knew what I was asking for and he bent down and kissed me. I felt his soft hot lips as they caressed mine. I couldn't help myself. This was so like a new beginning for us. I reached up my hand to hold his face to pull him into a deeper kiss, caressing his jaw line as I did so. I was imagining the events that would follow this passionate embrace and so to help his motivation I showed him the images that my imagination was conjuring. There was his body against mine and the feeling that would be felt. There was his heavy breathing and the smell of his body as it made the effort. Then there was the uninterrupted bliss that followed. But then before I could control my imagination there was a rather sudden flash of images one of me holding a protective hand over my belly then another confusing set of images where Jacob lay his ear against my belly as we sat comfortably in our new house. Then my arms cradling a perfect little baby, and then a flash of a little girl running on the beach in the sunshine. Jacob quickly recoiled when he saw these images and gave me a horrified look.

"What was that? Your not??"

He looked me up and down a little bit disgusted, I didn't like this reaction not at all, sure it was probably a bit sudden but not deserving this kind of revulsion

"No of course not..."

I scowled at him, but then my scowl melted as his face relaxed a little.

"But would it really be so bad if I was?"

Jacob looked at me a little blankly waiting for the next words.

"This feels just so much like when we were first married doesn't it? Just you and me together, alone here in our new little home?"

Still his expression didn't change and he said nothing.

"Jason's all grown up now and I always wanted a little girl who I could…"

But he broke me off half way

"Wait?? What? Your not being serious are you?"

This time I looked at him blankly

"I was worried half to the point of insanity when you were pregnant with Jason, and hearing you screaming in the hospital when you were having him that made me want to kill someone, mostly my self for doing it to you… there is just no way ness!"

I was quite stunned by his reaction. I knew that he had been very upset at the time but I had assumed that the joy of having a beautiful healthy baby son afterwards would have all but erased that memory like it had erased mine. But then I had heard that it was a biological thing for women to forget the pain of childbirth.

"You seriously don't want another child?"

I looked at him a little stunned and hurt

"No Nessie can't do that again not ever"

The words 'not ever' cut me like a knife to the gut. Tears welled up in my eyes and I used my speed to full advantage, I grabbed my big woolly shawl and dashed out of the front door, all in less than a second. I must have looked like a blurr to human eyes. I heard Jacob call out into the rain as I ran away but I totally ignored him. Tears were rolling uncontrollably down my face. I knew it was totally irrational I hadn't lost anything it was just my stupid human emotions getting the better of me for the moment.

I charged down to the beach, which only took me a second. The sea was whipping up quite a fury beyond the bay, but the tall cliffs either side of the beach were sheltering the water from the worst of the waves. There was all kinds of rubbish thrown onto the beach from the storm, and I spent my time picking it up and throwing it with all my might back out into the water. There were large lumps of seaweed and big pieces of driftwood to throw. None of these of course were a problem for me. I had my father's strength my mum used to tell me. When I had cried myself out for a bit I stood with my feet in the edge of the waves. My legs and my shoes were soaked and full of water. But it didn't really matter, it was raining so hard that my entire body was soaked. How could I have been so stupid? That was the most stupid thing possible to show Jacob 'that I wanted another child'. I was so jealous of his sisters with their beautiful daughters. They were able to go shopping together and share girly things. Jason was so much his father's son it was just like having another Jacob in the house. And I loved him as much as I loved Jacob of course I did, but I just felt like I was missing something.

As I stood with the bitter cold waves biting my legs, my anger seemed to be washing off me. It made me smile. I knew that Jacob would tell me it was the magic in the waters around La Push that were soothing my temper. I stepped out of the water as my feet were beginning to sink into the sand. I strode slowly over to a large tree that had fallen with its roots towards the water. It was bleached white in the sea spray.

I often let my emotions get the better of me. My dad told me that my mum had been like that before she was changed. But she was still an emotional person now and so I couldn't really imagine what she had been like before when she was human. I was grateful for the ability to cry. I knew I was half vampire and so I was grateful for every human emotion and feeling that I had. I could cry, and sleep, and feel tired, all of those things seemed to be punishments for being human but I was grateful for every single one. I knew that my aunt Rosalie missed a lot of aspects of her human life.

Maybe Jacob was right. But not for the reasons that he thought he was. He didn't want me to be in any pain. Well he couldn't keep me from all pain forever he was so fiercely protective sometimes I felt a little smothered. But being away from him was far more pain than he could ever cause by staying. I looked at my hands. They were so pale so white. I looked almost nothing like my son, but he had my eyes. My mum's eyes. But I was such a mixed up creature. Half human, half vampire, able to pretend to be both, but never fully either one. It felt almost like rejection, but only in my own mind I knew that I was welcome wherever I went. But my Jason. My poor Jason. Could he be any more complicated if he tried? He was half shape shifter and a quarter vampire? We had no way of knowing if he would join the pack one day. My aunt Alice couldn't see any future of that kind but that didn't mean that it wouldn't happen. That's why we couldn't bring another child into the world, because we don't know what kind of future they can expect? What if they were very different from Jason? Would we ever be able to forgive ourselves if anyone got hurt by my child? I couldn't think about it. It was all too raw too painful. So I concentrated on the horizon and the lightning that I could see out there. There was a real storm coming closer. This lashing rain that was slashing at my skin was just the beginning.

I got to my feet and decided to make the most of my time outside. If this storm came over us then there was a good chance I would be stuck inside for a while. I took big strides but kept to a human pace, just marching pulpousfully across the beach I looked along the water line at all the sea rubbish that was being swept up and then suddenly something caught my eye. What is that?

It was a large solid thing amongst a load of driftwood and seaweed, some kind of large bundle? A bit of a boat? Had a boat fallen victim to the storm? I darted close to have a good look. The wind was loud as it tore over the tops of the cliffs and the rain was making such a nose against everything it touched I was finding it hard to concentrate on any other sound. The bundle was just as mysterious up close as it had been 100 meters away. I dug it out from under the driftwood and it was half draped in the lapping water still . Then as I removed the bit of driftwood that covered it most the bundle I saw a mop of hair from under the sticks and twigs.

"Oh good god it's a person!!"

I shrieked! I listened as hard as I could but the rain was so distracting I couldn't hear a heartbeat or breathing I gently flipped them over. It was a 'she'. She was stunningly beautiful but she was coved all over in what looked like some kind of thick black tar? Had she been in an oil spill out at sea? Her hands were also tied together, along with her feet. She was a murder victim!! Poor poor girl she was so beautiful her face was covered in the tar like substance which I was now assuming was some kind of torture device before they finally killed her. She was too pale to be alive and quite stiff to. Horror was spreading through me like icicles in my blood far far colder than the surrounding rain. I was feeling so sick, not from the sight of the body but from the thoughts of how she had died. I quickly untied her hands and feet I didn't care about evidence on a crime scene, no one should have to be tied up like that dead or not, then I ran my hand down her pretty face wiping away some of her wet hair away from her eyes.

Then something that took me totally by surprise she opened her eyes with a dramatic start and whipped her head around to look at me. She had the most striking ice blue eyes and she looked terrified, she coughed violently splattering more of the black tar onto the sand next to her. I rubbed between her shoulders as she coughed; she needed to get whatever this gunk was out of her lungs so that she could breath. She then swung to her feet with a very fluid motion for someone who was dead a moment ago she staggered a bit still coughing and spluttering.

"Its ok don't panic"

I said as I to stood up, holding my hands up in surrender. She still looked terrified and I was afraid that she would try to run, of course I would catch her but I didn't want to have to frighten her more. She unwrapped the ties from round her hands and chucked them on the sand still spluttering a little.

"Its ok… really I'm a nurse, your safe? You are in a native American reserve called La Push your safe here, no one to going to hurt you… I'm not going to hurt you"

We stood for a few moment a few meters apart her hunched over, she clearly didn't have the strength to stand properly. I couldn't help but be curious

"Who are you? What happened to you?"

She looked at me a little confused and then went to open her mouth to speak but instead she winced in pain and clutched her chest and throat, I couldn't help my self my instincts took over and I rushed forward to put my arm round her and used my other arm to support her weight. She looked up at me with pitiful eyes like she was ashamed. I didn't care what this girl had done, nothing was worth this kind of punishment.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- An unusual house guest

I decided not to scare her further and so I helped her walk at human speed. We walked all the way back up to the house. She had no shoes on and so I made her walk on the grass to protect her feet instead of the road. Was we approached the house the lights shone out over the grass outside and I could see Jacob lit up brightly as he paced up and down the living room. He saw me through the window and dashed to the door to meet us. The girl in my arms was weakening and she was almost unable to walk at all when we got to porch.

Jacob opened the door and light flooded out of my warm clean house. I almost considered striping us both off before we went in but then remembered that this was my house and I could do what I liked, we strode into the porch tar and all.

"Who the hell is this?"

Jacob said with an exasperated tone, it was as if I came home with strays all the time! This was the first one I had picked up…. This year, I don't know what he was so fidgety about.

"I found her on the beach tied up and drowned she is covered in this tar like stuff?"

I explained to him as I began to peel my wet layers off and then went to make a start on hers. She had what appeared to be a black fisherman's mack on with scrappy cotton trousers also in a dark colour. But her body all the way up to her neck was bound in these tar-covered bandages. I was utterly horrified at what I was seeing.

"We should call the police"

Jacob said suddenly going towards the phone but the girl grabbed his wrist hard to stop him and shook her head vigorously, she looked utterly petrified. Jacob gave her a very shocked look.

"Ok.. ok we wont call the police?"

He said as he carefully peeled her cold fingers off from around his wrist. I lead her though carefully to the kitchen. She was hobbling hardly able to walk at all. Almost like she was having to remember how. I sat her gently on one of the kitchen chairs and got a cloth to clean her face. I had no idea how to get this gunk off to I thought I would start with warm water. That seemed to do the job; it came off a bit like thick blood would. It was a horrid analogy to make but that's where my nursing experience came in, I had got plenty of experience with horrible substances. She sat very still looking at me while I cleaned her face and her hands. She was the most delicate creature her wrists were tiny and she had the most delicate, elegant hands I had ever seen.

"What's your name?"

Jacob suddenly said. But she looked at me with her pleading eyes again and so I spoke for her.

"She cant speak, she has had this stuff all down her throat I think she will be coughing black gunk for a few days yet."

Jacob hummed in agreement. I had stripped the girl down to her bandages and trousers and she looked like the most vulnerable thing in the world as she sat there. I went to reach for the end of the bandage at the side of her neck to start unwrapping her but she leapt away like I had stung her. Leaping away to cower on the kitchen table looking at me as if I had just tried to kill her!

"ok ok its ok don't panic I'm not going to hurt you."

I said again holding my hands up apologetically

"she's jumpy ay? What the hell happened to you?"

Jacob's comments were not helpful at all so I shushed him.

"Look those bandages are filthy? They can't stay on like that, we need to change them?"

She looked at me for a long moment clearly trying to judge my intentions but she nodded once in reply. So I offered my next question.

"Will you let me change them for you? I'm a nurse?"

She looked at me again for a long moment and then very clearly but slowly shook her head.

"Are you able to change them yourself if I provide you with the right things?"

She seemed to like this idea and her defensive stiffness relaxed a little and she nodded.

"Ok wait here I will only be a second."

I left Jacob leaning against the kitchen counters and her still on the kitchen table. I dashed out to my car and grabbed my big green box. It was a box I took round to schools to teach first aid. So there were enough bandages in there to make several mummys. I dashed back into the house and found the two of them in exactly the positions I had left them in. I put the box on the table next to her and opened it up. She leant over a little to look inside. I pulled out 10 sets of bandages, that should be enough I thought to myself. I saw her looking curiously at the box of bits and so I pulled out some more stuff. A bottle of saline solution, and some sterile cotton wool.

"Use this, and this" I held the items up to her "to clean any wounds you have got. It will sting but the sting is good it means your doing it right."

She didn't looks surprised when I told her it was going to hurt she looked resigned to it.

"Look at your hair? You need a shower really."

I turned round to look at Jacob who nodded to me. I held out my hand and beckoned her to me she was beginning to trust me and I liked that it was a nice feeling to be trusted.

I lead her though to the shower room. She was still very unsteady on her feet. I showed her how the knobs worked on the shower and where to find shampoo and soap.

"When you take your bandages off just drop them in this basket ok?"

I pointed to an empty laundry basket near the door. She nodded and so I left her to it.

I went back out into the kitchen and got a bowl of hot water to wash all the places where the sticky tar like substance had gotten. Jacob just watched me from leaning against the counter.

"Listen ness…"

I didn't stop what I was doing I just carried on as if I was giving him the silent treatment, when I knew I had already forgiven him.

"…I'm really sorry ness, earlier it all… it all came out wrong I didn't mean it like that. I want to have more children I do, I'm just not brave enough yet?"

I continued to give him the silent treatment with my back to him while a broke a tiny secret smile in the corner of my mouth, so he did want more kids! I allowed him to plead a bit more

" Ness please I'm sorry ok… please?"

Then he knelt down next to me as I was on my knees cleaning the chair where she had sat and I had to keep a straight face again to keep up the act.

"I do want more kids just not right now? Can you forgive me I acted really badly you just kinda took me by surprise that's all?"

I allowed the smile to leek through as I cleaned the chair.

"In all honesty I already have forgiven you my love. But not for the same reasons. We don't know how Jason's going to turn out. There have never been any 3rd generation part vampires before, he acts normal and seems normal but we don't know what's going to happen? Is he going to age? Or is he going to stay like he is, like us? We don't even know if he is going to join the pack yet and if he does then what kind of a creature does that make him? No you're right we have to wait and see what happens with Jason first before we go rushing into anything."

Jacob looked at me like I was the most bizarre creature on earth.

"…ok?"

He said a bit bemused. He kissed my forehead and stood up.

"So… this new addition then?"

I was confused for a second and then realised he meant the girl in she shower. I had gotten distracted by our conversation for a second.

"Oh yes… I just found her on the beach I was so sure she was dead. Do you think she is a victim of the mafia?"

Jacob warmed to my speculation

"Whatever she has done it must be pretty bad to get tarred like that? And what is she hiding under those bandages she could be cut up like a sieve for all we know.? Or tattooed from head to toe with a treasure map?"

"That tar like stuff was all in her lungs she was coughing it up for a fair minute or so, they must have made her drink it or stuffed it down her throat."

"mmmm"

Jacob replied in a worried tone and he looked over his shoulder as if she would be peeping round the corner at him.

"What are we going to do with her? If she wont let us call the police?"

This was a question I was hoping Jacob wouldn't have to ask.

"… We will have to hide her here until it is safe"

Jacob looked a bit stunned and opened his mouth to object but I beat him to it.

"There is no safer place than here, she has a nurse in the house! And a doctor on the end of a phone and a mafia proof wolfy protector, there is no safer place in the world!"

Jacob stammered and stumbled over his words trying to find an excuse.

"grrr fine but as soon as we find out who she is…. I'm…. I'm telling your mother!"

I grinned and kissed him on the cheek. I know he meant telling my mother as a threat but I knew my mother would fall in love with her just like I was. There was no danger from her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Dressing the lion as a lamb

An hour or so later the rain had slowed to a steady wetting downpour. The wind had died down and was just washing everything clean outside I didn't mind much, there was still a lot of sawdust in the grass from where we had cut the new big window out.

Jacob and I were sitting curled up on the couch together, quite relaxed about our new houseguest. I heard the bathroom door opening and looked over the back of the couch to see her step out to find us. She was wrapped in one of our towels and she had put fresh white bandages on. She looked far more spectacular when she was clean she had a towel wrapped round her hair and her skin as perfectly flawless, much like a vampire and it made me really look twice before I decided it just wasn't the right consistency to be the skin of a vampire, she was too… moist? Her piercing blue eyes looked at me and broke a tiny smile the turned the corners of her mouth just slightly, she was stunningly beautiful. She reminded me of my aunt Rosalie. I spoke as I stood up to go and met her

"You look much better, do you feel better?"

I placed my hand on her shoulder as I was admiring her neat bandaging, and she was freezing cold.

"Oh your cold! Come on lets get you some clothes!"

I scooped her under my arm and steered her towards Jacob and my room. My aunt Alice would never let us buy our own clothes we were like dolls for her to dress. I opened up our enormous wardrobe and lead her in.

"Please choose anything you want"

I grinned at her face as she looked at me stunned. She started at one corner of the room and went round one in a full circle running her hand over the corner of all the hangers. She then went to make her way round again, this time she stopped at one hanger and unhooked it. It was a white summer dress that came down to knee length but covered the shoulders with wide straps and had a high Chinese style collar that wrapped high round the neck with buttons all the way down the front she held it out and looked it up and down.

I walked over and looked at it with her.

"You know I have never worn that one? It really isn't my style"

She broke that small smile at me again I took the hanger from her and lead her back into the bedroom where I pulled out the chair of my dresser and gestured for her to sit down. She hesitated for a moment and then sat willingly facing the mirror. As she sat down I carefully unwrapped her hair, it was all folded up in the towel, and when it dropped it was much much longer than I had expected, it must have been all caught up when she was on the beach, her hair almost reached her knees and it was a deep honey blonde. She looked in the mirror and smiled at me almost apologetically.

I laughed and got out the hair dryer. The sound initially made her jump but she soon got the idea. Anyone would think she had never seen a hair drier before? But I was sure she was just a little shell-shocked. She had had a terrible and traumatic journey. I dried her hair and found that it waved and curled beautifully and was wonderfully thick for long blonde hair long hair was usually so much thinner.

"May I trim your hair my 'water maiden' just a tiny bit so that it doesn't get in you way? And trail on the floor when you sit down?"

She looked at my face in the mirror for a moment probably considering if I planned to cut it all off? But of course it was far too beautiful to take too much off. She nodded gently, and so I took some scissors from my dresser and held her hair between my fingers. I did cut a lot off but it still seemed to leave her with spectacular hair that went well past her hips but not quite to her knees if she stood up. She seemed pleased, and sat with the bundle of hair I had cut off in her lap. I then set to finding a hair do that would suit her. She had such a delicate slim face that anything to bold would spoil it. So I twisted the fronts back and clipped them away from her face much like my mother had done many years ago.

I then left her to dress in our room. When I went out to the kitchen Jacob greeted me

"Well..?"

I looked at him confused

"Well what?"

"Have you found out anything more about her yet?"

I sighed, as if he thought I would be grilling her, as the poor girl sat there being groomed.

"No I haven't! She will tell us when she is good and ready ok?"

"No? It's so not ok Ness? We need to know who she is? Who have I got in my house? She has one week ok? One week to come clean about who she is, if not then we are going to your father, he will get more answers out of her."

"Jacob!"

I protested but he silenced me with one finger

"One week Ness"

And with that he went back to sit on the couch. He was right of course my dad could just read her mind and then we would know who she was where she was from and why she was in the state she was when we found her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – A deadline is set

A couple of days rolled by and I was growing increasingly suspicious of our houseguest. We still didn't know her name and she still couldn't talk. But each morning I dressed her. She always chose something white and feminine that covered her shoulders and neck. And every morning she would spend a long time in the shower. This caused a little friction with Jacob

"Look all I wanna do is have a shower? in my own house is that too much to ask?"

Jacob was having a little rant so I humoured him

"You can have one after she is done can't you?"

"There will not be any hot water left will there? There never is because she spends all her time in the shower!"

I thought about this for a second and to be fair we had never checked to see how much hot water she was using? We had just assumed it was all gone But I was quickly distracted when the door of the shower room opened and she came out. She smiled at me and then tentatively at Jacob and went into Jason's room which is where I had set her up so sleep. I continued our conversation as if we had never been interrupted.

"To be fair we have never actually checked?"

"What?"

"The water we have never checked to see if she has used al the hot water?"

I opened the kitchen cupboard to grip the pipe that ran up behind the kitchen counters. When the pipe was hot there was hot water but when the pipe was cool there was none it was a handy bit of plumbing that acted like an accurate gauge. But when I went to grab the pipe it was hot all along?

"That's funny?"

"What is?"

"Well the pipe is hot?"

Jacob gave me a confused look and followed me to the shower room. I grabbed the showerhead and Jacob turned it on, but when I put my hand under it, it was freezing cold?

"Ness has she been having freezing cold showers that past few days?"

"I think she must have been? I'm not convinced her English is that good? Maybe I didn't explain it right when I first showed her?"

"Oh come on Ness its not that hard? Red for hot blue for cold? How stupid can this girl be?"

I shrugged. I didn't know what to say. Maybe it was a cultural thing. I wanted to know so much more about her. I didn't know if it was my nosy nature or my caring nursing nature that was making me so curious. Either way I was scouring the internet for missing persons, getting newspapers from major ports down the coast. She could have been carried by the current quite some way. I sat for some hours at the computer. Our houseguest was always painfully polite and she made sure to wash each item of clothing she wore very carefully by hand.

I spent a couple of hours sitting at the computer searching for a clue to her identity but she soon interrupted me when she had finished washing yesterdays clothes. She went to the kitchen window and stood close to the glass looking out. Looking at the light drizzle. She looked round to me and smiled a small pleading smile. She patted her chest and then put her hand on the window. It was a very clear message.

"you want to go out?"

I asked a little surprised?

She nodded

"Well where would you like to go?"

She pointed to the living room window and the view of the beach

"Oh the beach? Would you like me to come with you?"

I went to stand up but she dashed over and gently pressed my shoulders down so that I sat down again. Putting her hands up in front of her in a signal for me to stay.

"I don't want you to get scared? You were in quite a state when I found you?"

She cocked her head to the side questioning my words. I was fed up of hiding from the houseguest. She couldn't even talk, so who was she going to tell if I showed her I was special?

"I'm going to show you something ok? Don't be afraid it's nothing nasty, it's a nice thing like a skill I have? Let me show you."

I stood up in front of her and I took one of her hands in mine. She was bitterly cold (probably all the cold showers) and then placed the other one on her cheek. I made an effort to show her the images gently; I tried to put a haze over everything as if you were seeing it through a dream. She didn't jump or look horrified that I was putting my memories into her head, it was as if she thought this was quite normal behaviour. I showed her the images of when I found her and how I though she was dead, and all the pity that ran through me as I untied her hands and feet. I showed her what I saw when I brought her back to the house and how scared she was. She broke me off there gently taking my hand from her cheek. She took my hand in the same soft way I had taken hers. She kissed the back of my hand and smiled at me again. This was very odd behaviour she wasn't scared or confused? In fact it was like she did this kind of thing all the time? She put her hand on my shoulder and I knew she meant 'thank you' but then she looked behind her again as if to ask 'may I go now?'

"Ummm yes ok? If your sure?"

She nodded and swiftly flowed out of the door. She took no coat? Nothing? It was the middle of winter and the air was bitter. I watched her out of the window as she walked confidently down the road towards the sea front. My suspicions were mounting. The way she moved and everything about her was not …human? What was she if she wasn't human? Not a vampire? Not a werewolf?… or was she? After all Jacob wasn't actually a 'child of the moon' as Aro had put it all those years ago, maybe she was a real werewolf? I quickly got back to work on the computer.

When Jacob came home he found me surrounded buy piles of printed papers as I was cross referencing them all exploring myth and legend.

"What all this Renesmee?"

I looked at him rather guiltily I knew he would just love this.

"I'm…I'm not convinced out house guest is …human?"

Jacob broke a very devilish smile like he had won an argument

"I knew it! She smells all wrong like stale death?"

I looked at him a bit disgusted

"You what?"

"well she smells like she has death on her skin but its… stale like it has been there a long time?"

I looked at him a little confused, letting all the pieces of the puzzle fall together in my head, then I stood up and grabbed his cheek showing him all the clues to the mystery. He watched intently. Then looked at me with a meaningful look. I knew what he was telling me to do. So I huffed

"Fine I will ring my mum"

I sighed.

I carried the phone through to the living room so that I could watch out of the window incase our houseguest came back, the phone only rang twice.

"Hey baby!"

My mothers beautiful voice sang down the phone

"Hey mum!"

"You ok hunny?"

"yeah mum in fine…"

I didn't really know how to phrase this? I have got a stranger in my house who doesn't know who she is and she isn't human? Hmmm that might not make me look the most sensible person in the world?

"Renesmee… what's wrong?"

"No nothings wrong mum…."

Jacob gave me a look that I saw out of the corner of my eye. I rolled my eyes at him

" We have got a little mystery staying with us…."

I then told my mum the whole story right from the beginning about how I had found her and the state she was in. My mum listened very patiently. When I had finished my story I said

"So what do you think? Pretty weird huh?"

"mmmm…. I think you should talk to your father…"

"No no don't tell dad not yet, he will only worry… I am gonna bring her to see you all on Friday. Maybe you can get some answers out of her better than I can?"

"Ok baby, am I allowed to tell Carlisle?"

"No because then dad will know, I am bringing her on Friday ok? Day after tomorrow, are you still at the old house near forks?"

"Yes Alice and Esme are quickly making themselves at home, which is very dangerous we can't really stay? Carlisle wants to work and it hasn't really been long enough for him to go back to this hospital yet, he would be recognised."

"mmm… well I will see you on Friday mum. Love you lots"

"Oh wait how is the house? Your all finished now yes?"

"Oh its great mum it's just how I wanted it! thanks for all your help! And thank Esme for me too."

"Ok baby see you on Friday"

I hung up and looked at Jacob who was looking smug, I decided to let him have his victory so I just went up and wrapped my arms around his waist. He kissed me in the top of the head but I could tell he was still grinning like the cat that got the cream.

Our houseguest came back an hour or so later, as it was getting dark. She was soaking wet and carrying her shoes there was sand in between her toes and I was pretty sure she had been walking in the sea. She sat on the porch step and used the outside tap to rinse her feet before she came inside. When she walked in through the door she had an enchanting grin on her face as if she had just had the most wonderful day of her life? She grinned at me and even at Jacob, and then she carefully crossed the kitchen area and went to take a shower.

"Another shower?"

Jacob mumbled under his breath, I gave him a playful slap on the arm, he looked at me with a devilish look and I let slip a little giggle that was just begging to him 'come and get me then!' he grabbed for me and I darted away. We playfully scouted around the room, up and over the kitchen table, and over the various bits of delicate furniture in the living room. Not once did we ever knock anything over, or trip. To a human it must have looked totally bizarre? They probably couldn't even visually keep up with our movement. Eventually I let Jacob catch me and scoop me into his arms he kissed me all own my neck and over my collarbones. As soon as I was in his arms I felt invincible. Like no one would ever touch me or hurt me ever again. I felt so much love for Jacob sometimes it was a almost like a physical pain I didn't have enough room in my body for all the love I felt for him, and it showed its self in the painful ache in my cheeks from smiling so much when I was with him I loved him more than any person should ever love anyone. I would sacrifice my life just to see him smile, and what made us so strong together was that I knew he would do the same thing for me.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – WTF?!! Creature

We sat down to eat that evening, I had almost forgotten how to cook normal food. Jacob and I had been eating whatever raw substances we fancied for so long. I was never a fantastic cook like my father. I was far more like my mother just eating whatever took my fancy.

Our houseguest very politely nibbled whatever we put in front of her. But like us she preferred the meats, which just added to the mystery. I was becoming more and more sure that she was a 'child of the moon' there was a full moon coming soon and I was allowing myself to be concerned for our safety but I said nothing. As we sat eating the computer made a 'bing' sound behind us. I whipped my head around to glance at the screen.

"Its an email from Jason!!!"

I squealed as I leapt up and danced over to the computer.

I opened up the email, it wasn't long but it was enough

_Hey mum, dad_

_Just thought I would email you and let you know how I am getting on. I am glad the new house is working out well for you. Could you make sure that my albums don't just end up chucked in a box in some damp corner please?_

_Law is going well. My lecturers are really cool and I am meeting lots of people. but the car isn't really working out. I can't find reliable places to park it and its costing me too much in gas and stuff. I'm gonna bring it home sometime in the next few weeks and bring the bike out instead maybe? Or buy a bike here. But the car just isn't working out right now. I will ring you and let you know when I am gonna make my way down. I will probably come home for my 19__th_

_See you soon_

_Love you lots_

_Jason_

"There we go look ness! He's fine"

I broke a small smile to humour him but looked back at the email. Then I felt our guest's cold fingers on my shoulder. I looked round at her and smiled at her to. She knelt down next me as I sat in the chair she looked at an old photo that I had on the computer desk of Jason when he was a small boy with his dad playing with the motorbike. Of course Jacob looked exactly the same, so it could have been any child in the photo. Our guest pointed to the email on the screen, and then put her hand over my heart, then pointed to Jason in the picture. I looked at her a little stunned. I knew exactly what she meant. She had made all the connections that Jason was my son that I was worried and that was Jason in the photograph. I nodded to her looking a little hesitant. So she took my hand like I had done to her the day before and put her hand on my cheek I was stunned by what happened next I was seeing through her eyes myself and Jacob I saw us together in our house and how blissful it all looked, and then the stab of concern on my face (small as it was) when I got the email from Jason. This all happened so fast it was like a sudden flash of information I leapt away from her knocking the chair away. Quick as a flash Jacob was beside me between myself and our guest. She remained knelt on the floor looking confused.

"What… what is it?!"

I looked stunned, so he shook me a bit

"Ness what happened!?"

I looked at him trying to find the words,

"She has taken my power? She had my ability? She can show you images that she has seen?"

She now looked apologetic and held her palms up in surrender. Jacob growled and his hands began to shake. We had not come across genuine danger for many years and yet here it was in my own house! And I had invited it in. Jacob backed me away from the guest and the guest fluidly swung to her feet but remained submissive.

"Jacob calm…"

But he ignored me and let a rich deep snarl rumble from his chest, and then much to our surprise she returned a similar growl and her hands too started to shake.

"Jacob stop it! calm down! both of you!"

I swung round from behind Jacob to stand between the two of them, the growling died down.

"Do you mean to hurt us?"

I said to our guest in a firm voice, she looked at me apologetically and raised her palms again in surrender shaking her head. She gestured to Jacob and I knew she meant that she was just defending herself.

"You have stolen our abilities?"

I looked at her with waiting eyes and she looked back at me, every inch of her was apologetic she shook her head fighting for communication she want to open her mouth to speak then stopped. She was looking all around her try and find away to explain. Jacob remained tense behind me and I could hear his heavy breathing and the blood rushing through his veins, he had backed down but was still pumped for a fight

The more our guest looked, the more desperate she became and she had tears welling in here eyes, I didn't not feel threatened by her so I stepped closer.

"If you have my ability? then show me?"

She hesitated and then looked behind me to Jacob as if to say 'Is it safe' I replied to her silent question

"It will be safe if you show me we have nothing to fear from you"

I held out my hand to her and cautiously she reached over to me, she tentatively placed her hand on my cheek, and very very quickly showed me all the events since she had arrived here. She didn't know who she was? or really where? or what she was? and the abilities had developed though her contact with us, as soon as an ability is exposed to her then she can borrow it, or share it?

She stepped away from me being very submissive again. Giving me time to think.

"It's ok Jacob she means us no harm we just all took each other by surprise that's all. We will go see my dad tomorrow I think. I'm not sure this can wait till Friday."

Our guest nodded and so did Jacob; Jacob straightened up and relaxed a bit.

"I think that's enough discovery for tonight"

Our guest understood completely and retreated to her room.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 –

The next morning started normally (well as normally day can begin with a half vampire a shape shifter and a …something? In the house) our guest took her normal shower and then today I chose her clothes. I chose her some casual white cotton trousers and a high button up sleeveless shirt. I put her hair in a long loose plait down her back. When we went in to he living space Jacob was scoffing his breakfast. He gave our guest a suspicious look but then carried on stuffing his face, he called over to me as I looked out of the window towards the sea

"When do we go?"

"As soon as you have finished eating my love"

I replied.

When I turned around our guest stood in the middle of the room with her hands innocently tucked behind her back, and her eyes down at the floor. She looked like a little girl who was being told off at school, or waiting outside the principle's office. I noticed a button that had been missed on her shirt and so I went over to her to do it up. When I got to her I lifted her chin up to look at me. The expression in her eyes was like a woman who was dammed, a creature that was sentenced to death and was waiting in a queue to the gallows.

"You know I have been thinking. All this time and we still haven't got a name for you… so I thought I might give you one…"

She looked at me with pitiful eyes, as if a name didn't matter too much anymore, but it caught her curiosity all the same

"Nimueh… what do you think?"

Then to my utter surprise a smooth clear voice replied

"It's fitting"

Her words were like water, crystal clear, as they floated through me, I took a step back and smiled at her she continued

"The lady of the lake from Arthurian legend?"

"You have found your voice!"

I replied to her. I was thrilled. She spoke with a perfect English accent and her voice was nothing short of captivating, I glanced over at Jacob who sat there looking at her with his mouth hanging open like a fish.

"Please… I can speak… but my vocabulary is limited"

Jacob coughed loudly then spluttered out his word

"Why?"

She tilted her head in a most animal like fashion to look at him

"I have not learnt it?"

Jacob got up out of his seat still chewing and went to the door grabbing his coat,

"Where are you going?"

I called after him Jacob corrected me

" 'We'… 'we' are going to your parents… now… come on"

I looked over at Nimueh and followed obediently as did she. Jacob had quite the demanding presence. When he had an idea in his head then it was often better to just obey. He got into his beloved VW Rabbit. A car the was most defiantly showing its age now. The engine was fine but it was like driving around in an antique.

Nimueh was totally silent the whole journey. There were so many things I wanted to ask her but I couldn't think of a way to phrase it all. Besides we were going to see my family now and we would see to her as a family unit, not as individuals.

We pulled up to the big white house and my mum was waiting for us with my aunt Alice. My aunt Alice couldn't see me or Jacob, but she had taken to watching the Rabbit. And so we humoured her by making sure we used it to visit. My mum hugged me when I got out of the car, as did my aunt Alice, my mum elegantly slid over the bonnet to hug Jacob to. She and Jacob had a special friendship and I would never interrupt it, after all it saved all of our lives back in the day.

"And this must be your guest?"

My mum went over to Nimueh and took her hand in hers.

"I am Nimueh, it's a pleasure to meet you?"

My mother was a little taken by surprise but kept her ever-loving façade in place.

"I see you have found your voice? And your English?"

"I have found my voice thank you, but I fear it will only create more questions for you, rather than answer any"

"That's ok that why you are here, we are going to try and help you"

My mothers voice was like singing angels I could have listened to her just talk for hours. But my aunt Alice came and put her arm though mine leading me towards the front steps. My mother put an arm round Nimueh and took Jacob's hand leading them after us. As we came through the door my dad grabbed me lifting me off my feet and kissing me on the top of the head.

"I haven't seen you for weeks Renesmee? Does it take a crisis to make you visit us?"

"No of course not dad, it takes a crisis to keep me away."

My mum lead Nimueh through into the house. As Nimueh stepped though the door she almost staggered backwards taking in a deep breath, but my mother pushed her forwards.

"Edward this is Nimueh"

My mother gestured to Nimueh as she stepped into the entrance hall. Nimueh's eyes were whizzing around the room looking at everyone there as if she was quickly taking in every single person in the house judging them as friend or foe. She stepped towards my dad and when she met his gaze she froze solid as stone looking him up and down. My dad stepped towards her and I almost wondered if she was about to run, as my father offered his hand to shake hers.

"Hello Nimueh"

"Mr Cullen, it's a pleasure to meet you."

I could tell that my dad was trying desperately to read her mind but she just stared straight back at him with the same determination that he was staring at her with.

My grandmother Esme interrupted their silent stand off by sweeping into the room.

"Hello Ness love, Jacob! How is the house?"

"It's wonderful Esme thank you, we just finished at the begging of this week, thank you for all your help it is was wonderful."

"Shall we go through to the kitchen?"

Esme gestured behind her and lead us all through. My family had a talent for filling rooms without making them look the slightest bit cluttered or crowded. My aunt Alice and my uncle Jasper draped them selves elegantly on the counters and my uncle Emmet set to fiddling with some kind of climbing harness on the far end of the kitchen island counter. My mother took a seat at the breakfast bar and encouraged Nimueh to sit next to her; Jacob went over and chatted to Emmet who was playing what the karabiner now. My father set to cooking us lunch. Carlisle was the first person to break the casual atmosphere and begin to question Nimueh

"So tell me where are you from Nimueh?"

Nimueh looked at him and then stole a glance at me. I stood across the counter from her and made a silent gesture for her to answer.

"I'm sorry… I don't know?"

"But your accent that's English, somewhere in the south east? East Anglia maybe?"

She looked down ashamed

"I don't know?"

"Then where did you get that accent from?"

She looked at Carlisle for a long moment thinking about her answer to this question

"I'm …I'm sorry my vocabulary is small. I don't have the words?"

I shot a glance at my dad who continued as if he was ignoring our conversation.

"Please don't be afraid of me? You can't be any more afraid of me than I am of myself? English was the first language I heard, and England was the first place I heard it"

She was desperate to answer our questions as best she could, but I knew she was struggling.

"So you have been to England? I was born in England"

Carlisle was clearly trying to make the conversation sound more casual, hoping that this would get more out of her. But Nimueh's next remark took us all by surprise even my aunt Alice whipped her head round to look at her stunned.

"In oxford over 300 years ago I believe? Renesmee is the youngest person in the room"

Nimueh had a very serious expression on her face. But the penny dropped in my head and I spoke to save her from the stunned silence she had caused.

"She can borrow powers from people. She is just telling you what she sees Carlisle"

Carlisle continued to look at her quite amazed.

"Borrow peoples powers? How does that work?"

"I don't know? I have to be close and I have to be able to….. I have not got the words"

She clenched her fists and gently and stiffly bumped them on the kitchen counter in frustration. Screwing her eyes shut. My mother took Nimueh's fists in her hands and seemed to stroke out the frustration.

"You are not human are you?"

Carlisle finally said when she seemed to have released her tension a little.

"No I don't think I am … but what I am… I don't know"

"How far back can you remember Nimueh?"

"I remember Renesmee finding me?….."

"Is that as far as you can remember, just one week?"

Nimueh nodded. And so Carlisle spoke again

Nimueh would you allow me to examine you? I am a doctor and I promise I wont hurt you? It may tell us a little more about you, and the wounds under your bandages im sure could do with being checked?"

Nimueh looked at me a bit horrified and recoiled a bit pushing my mothers arm off her shoulders she looked totally terrified.

"Oh no Nimueh its ok.."

Carlisle began but she was on the verge of tears clutching her neck as if Carlisle might jump at her and try to pull off the bandages.

"No examination…. Ok?"

She nodded and relaxed a bit, my mother put her arm back round her and pulled her back onto the seat at the breakfast bar, but she didn't say another word. I knew that my family were disappointed with this and were desperate to find out what was in her head. So they turned away from her a bit and decided to take them selves up in other conversations hoping her behaviour would reveal more about her. I knew that my uncle Jasper would be making her want to leave the room so that they could grill Edward. And as predicted she got up and wondered round the kitchen, stroking the surfaces with her fingertips and at one point running her hand under the cold tap. My father found this fascinating but just stared at what he obviously felt was extraordinary behaviour. She made her way around the room oblivious to us and eventually through the archway out into the living area Carlisle and I rushed over to my dad to ask him.

"Well what can you see? What is going on in that head of hers?"

I asked quickly hoping for all the answers to fall out of his mouth.

"She is telling the truth she genuinely doesn't know? There's nothing.. .no words in her head? It's a miracle she can talk I don't know where she is finding the vocabulary"

"She can borrow skills? Has she just borrowed mum's shield? Would that explain it?"

I was so disappointed, I was so hoping for answers.

"No ...no its not the same its like… like there is something there but its?…"

"What can you see Edward?"

Carlisle interjected

"Water… deep water, like she is under deep water with no emotions no feeling and there is light but its not present?… argggg its so hard to explain she is so complicated?"

"Its ok son don't worry about it, we will unravel the mystery"

My dad looked at me with his beautiful golden eyes, he took my cheeks in his hands and kissed my forehead.

"Take over for me Renesmee?"

He gestured to the pan of meat he was cooking gently in spiced oil.

"Of course dad"

I smiled at him and let him walk out of the room after Nimueh. My mother spotted me from across to room and came over taking the pan from my hand, it made me jump a tiny bit as my eyes were so distracted looking to the archway into the living area, my mum smiled at me I knew she understood completely, my mum always knew exactly what I wanted.

"Come on I will take this you go and spy,"

She let out a cheeky giggle which sounded like angles ringing bells so I let her take the spatula from my hand and I stealthily slid to stand in the archway, being careful to be as invisible as possible hiding myself mostly behind the wall but I could see everything I wanted to. Nimueh was trailing her hand over the big black grand piano that stood on a platform at the far end of the room. It was opened up showing all the strings. She looked inside as if she had never seen one before.

"Do you play?"

My dad said in his velvety tone, she looked at him and just smiled in reply she reached her and in and placed her finger on one of the strings just holding still and not pressing hard, then she withdrew her hand and looked back at my dad.

"What is it?"

My father looked at her a little surprised

"It's a piano?.. Here look"

He crossed round the piano and sat down pressing gently on the ivory keys making the softest sound so as not to frighten her. She watched the inside as she saw the beaters strike the strings. She broke an enchanting smile and went to sit next to him. Watching his hands dance over the keys. He played her a short and soft tune that I recognised. He had taught it to me once; it was an exercise to stretch your fingers out ready for playing.

Nimueh gently placed her hands on the keys pressing down in an odd manor, not just using her fingers but her whole hand, she was not rough with the keys but the action she used with her playing was quite alien. She tilted her head to the side to lean her ear closer to the sound. She played so quietly that even I could hardly hear it she played up the scale and back down again experimenting with the sound, but then leaking through the random notes a tune began to emerge, she was hunched low bent over the keys listening so hard to every note. My dad watched her in fascination.

The tune she was playing was haunting but beautiful, like it was heard though water it sang through the notes like it had a life of its own. Then her voice began to accompany it floating along with the tune humming at first. It contrasted in places making the most unusual but beautiful harmony. It was like nothing I had veer heard before. And without me fully realising my entire family were drifting into the room listening to the unusual music, as everyone else was stepping forward I decided to join them and I sat on the couch leaning over the back of it so as to bring my ears closer to the music. Everyone was totally captivated by the tune by her extraordinary singing. It was not the kind of sound that comes from a human at all it was far too soft, too smooth. It was like her lungs and tongue were made of silk and she was able to sing the feeling of its smoothness. Her voice got louder and rang though the room effortlessly. There was an inescapable ecstasy in listening to her then her voice climbed to a note so high and so smooth it was impossible. Then suddenly she stopped playing and seemed to gag on her own song she coughed and spluttered and the black tar like substance I had found her covered in on the beach began to run from the corners of her mouth, it splattered in a fine spray onto the piano keys, and she clutched her neck in agonising pain. Then horror spread across her face as the spots of black tar like substance began to smoke, burning the surfaces like acid. She quickly took one hand and tried to wipe each spot off the surfaces. My father had recoiled a few inches and was looking at her with the most shocked face I had ever seen on him.

My uncle Jasper was the first to react, leaping across the room and tacking her to the floor, Emmet was quick onto Jasper's train of thought and pulled down the blinds, he was stripping the metal cable out of them chucking them over to Jasper who had rolled Nimueh onto he front and had her in an unmoveable hold. He quickly tied her hands and feet together with the cable. All the time yelling at her as she wailed in agony.

"What are you?!!"

But all she could do was cough and gag

"TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE!"

He was livid and there was a real rage in him, not many of us were willing to interrupt that.

"You smell like your veins are full of water what the hell are you!!!"

She was able to cough a reply this time as he heaved her onto her feet in an aggressive way

"I DON'T KNOW!"

She was in tears; I assumed half from the pain and half from the pain of what was being done to her emotionally. Jasper threw her into a chair that Rosalie had fetched from the kitchen. She hunched over herself in the chair and she became the same tortured figure she was when I found her.

"Jasper what has she done!!!?"

I pleaded tears welling up in my eyes. But the real question in my head was what had I done? What had I brought into my family's home that gave them cause to be so violently afraid.

"She had us all bewitched just then!! She is dangerous, this acid that comes from her mouth this isn't something that's been put on her this is her blood!! What kind of monster has acid for blood!"

There was a sudden realisation in my mind that my dad saw on my face and he delved into my thoughts. All those bandages I found her in? the tar? Its not tar at all? it was blood? All of it? She was drenched in her own blood? And her own singing ripped her throat and was making her cough blood again, of course it all made horrifying sense. Then Jasper shot Alice a demanding look. All the woman had gathered on one side of the room shying away from the men and myself who now stood surrounding Nimueh keeping a distance as she sobbed. All hunched over in the chair.

"Alice?"

Japer demanded

"No nothing"

A loud growl ripped though Jaspers teeth and we all took up a defensive position behind him.

"WHAT ARE YOU!"

He roared at her but she shook her head and sobbed

"I don't know"

so he asked again

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

"I don't know"

" YOU ARE DANGOROUS! NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE!"

This time her reply was violent as well she wrenched forward in her seat pulling against her restraints

"I DON'T KNOW!!!!!"

Silence fell among us for a second and the only sound was her painful sobs. Then suddenly they stopped dead, as if someone had pressed mute or pause. She froze much like she had when she had first seen my dad. This caused a wave of unease to pass through the whole room, she twitched her head to put it on a tilt, but she was stilled hunched over herself hiding her face. I stole a glance at my dad who was frozen like she was.

Then she very very slowly raised her head showing a very different face from the one I had began to recognise. Her features were the same but there was someone different behind her eyes and it was not someone I liked, not one bit. I looked over at my dad again and he was baking away from her towards the wall, so I did the same. Jasper and Emmet seemed to read the feeling and also did the same creeping backwards away from her.

A very different voice slipped though her lips this time. It was like it didn't belong to her at all at was too deep and it had a very sharp edge to it.

"Dangerous am I? Mr Jasper?"

Jasper like the rest of us now was frozen in position. It was as if when her gaze met you, you lost all control of your body and became nailed to the spot.

"This poor little body was not dangerous before… but now?"

She flexed her delicate shoulders and for some reason it made her look untouchably invincible.

"The body was so innocent but now…. she will remember everything… and her mind will drown in blood soaked waters. So now let me show you just how dangerous this body can be"

as she finished her lips spread over a terrifying grin that showed a set of many tiny needle like teeth, she then stood up very slowly and the cables fell off her hand and feet as if they were made of butter the stepped forward and my family very uncharacteristically cowered around me. She began to step into the middle of the room opening her terrifying mouth just a fraction as she walked forwards and a revoltingly deep throbbing rippled out from her. It shook the air in the room and made the piano whine in pain as it was roughly vibrated. It sounded like the wings of a truly massive creature were beating just feet above the house. She tilted her head and it made my stomach contract and turn over I had never felt so terrified in my life, for once no one in the room seemed to be standing up to this. Then an almighty sound erupted from her it felt like it was ripping the air in the room apart, I dropped to my knees the pain was so intense I covered my ears the vases on the mantle behind her exploded and the massive glass wall that covered the entire back of the house imploded into the room showering everyone in shards of glass.

But then the sound came to an abrupt stop and as it echoed on the walls and hard surfaces, she unexpectedly just crumpled like her bones joints had all disconnected and she fell with a sickly crunch onto the hard floor. My family rose up and there was the light tinkling of glass as it fell out of our clothes. Everyone's clothes were peppered with holes ripped by the shards. My dad was on he floor with his back against the wall. I dashed over to him and the glass crunched and screeched under my feet.

"Dad?…Dad? Are you ok? ..What is it?!"

His eyes were wide and surprised, and if he were human then they would be full of tears I could tell. Because I saw so much of myself in him. But before I could get any words out of my Dad, Jasper was standing over Nimueh's helpless crumpled body looking at her like road kill. My Dad was leaning round me to look at them. Jasper hooked his foot under her shoulder and flipped her over like a dead body he didn't want to touch. I could hear her sobbing quietly, she was alive, but she was back to being the small frightened woman I had seen before not the monster who had trashed the house. My dad slipped to his feet.

"Jasper its ok… She isn't going to hurt us… I can see everything now she wont hurt us she is safe."

I was thrilled and horrified at this news. I was thrilled we might get some answers now but horrified at the thought of what those answers might be. I walked over to her with my Dad while she was lying on the floor. I knelt down at her side and brushed the hair off her face. She stared at the ceiling and spoke

"I know what I am now…"

My dad nodded in reply but we all looked back to her to hear the words come from her own lips. They whispered through her delicate mouth as tears were soaking her hair as she lay on the floor.

"Seiren…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

My family had been quick to clear up. The metal doors had dropped the instant the glass on the back wall was broken, plunging us all into a haunting gloom. Most of my family were still too afraid to go anywhere near the bomb that seemed to have just exploded in the house. But I helped my Mum and my Dad to pick her up and get her out of the way of the rest of the family into the kitchen.

"Carlisle Cullen…"

She spoke over her shoulder towards the living area she knew that he would hear her she didn't have to raise her voice. Carlisle swept into the room. With his ever understanding face on. I never understood how he could stay so calm in the face of such horrifying circumstances but he always did.

"You may examine me now if you wish Dr Cullen"

Carlisle only hesitated for a moment

"Come up to my office where we can sit quietly"

We all followed him out of the kitchen and through the living area towards the stairs. but Nimueh hesitated at the bottom of the staircase. Looking at my family as they flitted around sweeping up the glass

"I shall replace all the broken glass… please don't throw away the pieces"

And without waiting for a reply she followed Carlisle fluidly up the stirs. It became all to clear now, the answers to so many of my questions. She didn't feel the cold. She was a creature of the sea. Her movement was fluid like water itself. The long cold showers the enchanting voice. All the clues finally fell into the puzzle in my head.

We stepped into Carlisle's study and he gestured for Nimueh to sit on a high leather reclining couch. It was like a raised Victorian hospital bed but clad in dark green leather so that it didn't look out of place in his office.

"May I take a blood sample Nimueh?"

She looked blank and business like now, all the emotion had been washed out of her with her own tears, she had nothing left to feel.

"You can try… my blood is black acid, but only when it is fresh from my body, if you cut me then wait you will be able to hold it in a glass phial without it burning through."

Carlisle looked uncomfortable he brought over a metal tray of swabs and bandages. There was a small sharp set of scissors for cutting the bandages off her.

"Its alright don't worry about it we don't need to hurt you, we can go without the blood sample."

Carlisle broke his ever enchanting and reassuring smile. He used it on all his patients. It made them feel totally at ease all the time but clearly not Nimueah. Carlisle turned round to take something from a cupboard, and as he did so Nimueh grabbed the scissors from the tray and stuck them in her arm. We all jumped forward but none of us were brave enough to extend a hand to stop her. She pulled the scissors out and wiped them on her free hand. Thin black acid dribbled down her arm smoking slightly as it burned off every speck of dust or dirt on her skin. She very gently placed the scissors back on the tray.

"Give that a minute and you have your sample Dr Cullen"

Carlisle nodded

"May I remove your bandages Nimueah?"

She nodded and began to unbutton the blouse I had put her in this morning. Then I decided to ask some of my questions.

"What's your real name?"

She looked at me again like a person who was dammed.

"I cannot say it any more…"

Carlisle had begun to undo the bandages they were 2 layers thick. The first layer was almost off now. The second layer was stained with her black blood in a strip down her front.

"I like the name Nimueah… it's still fitting"

She broke a pitiful smile and then Carlisle began to unravel the bottom bandage starting at her neck, as she did this my mother slipped silently into the room and went to stand between myself and my dad tucking herself under my Dad's arm and stroking my hand as she passed behind me.

"I am going to take all the bandages off Nimueh? Do you mind being topless?"

Carlisle was clearing thinking of her dignity

"It's only flesh and I would hate to deprive my audience of the answers to their questions."

Carlisle was no longer patronising her with his doctors smile, he knew it meant little to her. As he unwrapped her from the neck he revealed a terrible wound. It ran from the middle of her neck all the way down to the bottom of her ribs. It looked like a rip or a tear, as if sharks had tried to do open heart surgery on her with a chain saw. The centre was clean but it was rough. It was going to be the most horrific scar. She looked at Carlisle and then over to us.

"This is why I cannot say my name… I had my voice ripped out and torn apart; my human voice box still heals. It is why I could not speak when we first met Renesmee"

She was addressing only me. Carlisle began to take his sample and take his tests, scooping up the blood that had dribbled down her arm into a test tube and busying himself with various skin tests and samples. So Nimueh began to tell us her story

" I can no longer borrow your powers. As far as I am concerned on the out side right now I am mortal. I can be killed by human diseases, and human weapons, when I am in this current form. The form that you saw downstairs was my sisters speaking though me."

"your mind was like changing channel on a television"

My Dad interrupted

"That's what it feels like too. This time my sisters spoke for me, manipulated this weak body, because I was not ready for what they would do. That will never happen again I can promise you."

"How old are you Nimueh?"

My mother asked

" That's a complicated question? Are you prepared for the answer?"

We all nodded but Carlisle continued as if he were ignoring us

"This body is one year old, it was created a year ago in much the state you see it in now, my previous form was much older. And dated back to our creation. Our domain was the waters of this earth. Man began to think he could tame the seas, and it was our pulpous to keep the oceans untamed. In answer to your question I have been a physical creature with this mind for 40 thousand years."

Silence fell in the room and even Carlisle stopped

"I have seen the continents shift and great landmasses separate, I have seen the birth and death of oceans, and I have been in the water as the earth bleeds red from its wounds, and all that time we have just fed our hunger for flesh."

"Are there many of you?"

Carlisle asked as he began to move again, she swallowed and I could see the wound ripple sickeningly down her neck as she did so

"No we are so rare now, the Gods have all but given up hope on man. Their prayers are so weak it barely sustains them, and so creatures like myself, tools of the Gods were let off the leash, to run as wild as we wish, and feed our never ending hunger. The legend of Atlantis was no myth. A whole city swallowed by the sea. Thousands of people were killed and our hunger was sated so deeply, we sunk that city and fed one every man woman and child. But afterwards we realised what we had done. We vowed we would never kill so many at once again. The shame was too much. I imagine the hunger is something you can sympathise with?"

She looked at my Dad very directly as she said this, and my Dad nodded in return

"How did you come to be in existence?"

Carlisle asked a he took a sample of blood to put it under a microscope

"There are Gods and there are mortals, and then there are the tools of the Gods. We were the executioners of the underworld. When lost soles came to the edge of the river Styx half way between our world and yours, we would relive them of their ties to their mortal lives, by drowning them, sucking their last breath from their lips as we pulled them downwards. A brutal punishment for being lost, but if they were devout enough in their prayers they would know where to go, and never be lost in the first place. As man became more powerful and began to infect the earth's seas as well as the land, there was cause for the Gods to take back some control. We were made into physical beings and sent to the surface to claim back our oceans. Man was never meant to rule the waters of this world."

"The myths that are written how true are they?"

Carlisle asked as he held up a phial to look at it through the light. I hadn't noticed but the rest of my family were slowly filtering into the room.

"Most myths are true. A siren's song is irresistible. A siren in the water cannot kill a man on a boat. Those are the rules that we are still bound by. The ship must be sunk by the God's mighty waves. But we can use our song to call men to rocks and reefs, sink their ships, and as soon as they are in the water, they are fair game for us to hunt. But our sound is our greatest weapon."

"Do others look like you?"

Emmet said and everyone turned to look at him as he had not said one word to her since she had arrived.

"This form is quite different from the form sirens fall into naturally. But this is now my natural form, its an effort for me to change, soon I will not be able to change much at all."

There was a pause while everyone asked the same question in their heads 'what was your previous form?'

"I feel no need to show you my previous form. I am sure I have scared you all enough already."

She broke a small smile to me that I returned back to her, she knew I wasn't scared

"What abilities have you got now? Will they fade with time?"

Carlisle was now becoming ever the scientist looking into her ears and taking her pulse.

"I can no longer borrow your abilities. My voice is my most powerful weapon; it will get stronger as I heal. I am not as fast as you vampires, but I am stronger, and of course faster in the water."

"Stronger? You think you're stronger?"

Emmet snorted and strode over to her holding up his hand as if to arm wrestle her with nothing under their elbows. We had tried it before and disappointingly I was the weakest out of all of us when we had done it last time. But I was intrigued to see how this one would pan out. Nimueh took his hand. He pushed Nimueh's hand right over, as if she had only applied a small bit of tension to her arm, she looked at him curious? Then I realised she probably had no idea what the aim of the competition was? but she quickly found her own way to win.

She pulled the most amazing and slow manoeuvre on Emmet turning him round very slowly by the one hand then pulling his arm up so that he was pressing against his own throat, an incredible show of strength but her face remained emotionless as she did it. Then she leant forward and whispered in his ear.

"I have no need of your speed vampire"

Then she let his hand go and he swung round to turn and face her as if he was going to attack her.

"Be at peace friend… I have no desire to harm any of you"

Then she looked over at Jasper

"Even you, beloved Jasper, warrior for your family, you bare the scars of a general on your skin, your family must be very proud of you"

Jasper bowed his head very elegantly and my heart did well up with pride when I realised that he was the protector for my family. We were all looking at Jasper for a long time, all probably feeling the same thing before he spoke, embarrassed at his sudden lime light.

"Tell me Nimueh? How have you become mortal?"

Her expression finally changed to look like a slight wince and I could see that she was thinking through her answer.

"Mortality is my punishment"

I looked over to my Dad hoping that his face would give me some clue as to what was going on in her head but his face remained as blank as hers had been. So I spoke up. She was my houseguest after all.

"What did you do? to deserve to be punished?"

She looked at me with those dammed eyes again she didn't want to tell me, but she probably knew the consequences if she didn't.

"There was a ship, a small ship with 30 people on it. My sisters and myself had not fed for so long. The ship was lost off the cost of southern France, some of the reefs round there can be such a …Death Trap"

As she said those words she looked down at the floor and ran her tongue over her teeth. I was sure I could spot that her teeth had become long and needle like, the same way they had done downstairs. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a shiver run down my spine as I realised how unstable she might be.

"My sisters and I fed on their fear and beckoned them closer and closer to the reef, but the boat grounded and ripped the hull open, infuriatingly the boat was not sinking. They could not stay there forever, and so we waited like sharks in the water, sooner or later they would become too tempted take the short swim to the shore. We began claiming each body as we watched them pacing the deck. My sister claimed a child. The little boy was only 5 years old. He did not cry, he was not scared like some of the others. He stared at me through the water as if he could genuinely see me, and then he waved at me? I could not understand this gesture at the time. My sisters were growing inpatient and were singing on the far rocks making the mortals so keen to enter the water. They all stood on the side of the boat to look over to my sisters drawn forward by the sound. It was their downfall… and mine. Their combined weight made the boat tip, launching them all over the railings and into the water, the little boy on the other side of the boat also fell in. But he was still not scared. As my sisters devoured the people on the other side of the boat I pushed the boy back onto the railings where he clung until the coastguard came."

"Are you saying that this punishment is for saving someone's life?"

My mother asked almost exasperated. Nimueh looked at her with piercing eyes, almost as if she was trying to read my mothers face. I tensed up wondering what her reaction was going to be, would she loose her temper?

"I betrayed my family, betrayed my own sisters, betrayed my pulpous, and I betrayed my self. To die would be a release not a punishment. In death you cannot feel, you cannot crave, you cannot hunger. Mortality is a punishment. A hunger that can never be quenched, that never gets easier. I no longer possess the necessary tools to consume a person's sole. I am forever a curse. I can only kill. I can never feed. And it aches."

The entire room stayed frozen thinking about the story. She was not as much of a monster as we had thought. But she might be more of a danger to humans then we had thought. Then horror wiped across my face as I realised the email from Jason had said he was coming home soon. He was more human than any of us, was he in danger because he smelt so human? I looked over at my Dad who was looking at me out of the corner of his eye; he nodded acknowledging that he had heard my thoughts.

"Carlisle can we talk for a moment?"

My dad said stepping forward. Carlisle nodded and followed my Dad out of the room. I knew that I was meant to follow, I felt slightly uncomfortable leaving my family in a room with Nimueh but I had to decide a plan of action.

My dad swept a little way down the corridor and we spoke in hushed tones

"What are we going to do? Jason may come home to visit in a few days, is she a danger to him?"

I chattered quickly

"She is of course incredibly dangerous. She had no chromosomes; the only thing human about her is what she looks like, her skin has a similar chemical makeup to water. But her vulnerability to human diseases concerns me, as does her constant shape shifting."

"You noticed that to!"

I was thrilled I hadn't been the only one to see it.

"There is a second creature in her, almost like a parallel personality. Its like its sleeping most of the time and when it stirs in her head her appearance changes, for example when she mentioned the French reefs and her teeth grew like they did before downstairs."

"Is she a danger to us Edward?"

Carlisle asked

"If the beast stays sleeping then she is as safe as any other person, but if the beast in her mind wakes then we are all at risk."

There was a long silence and Carlisle looked more worried than usual. Our family had been in mortal peril before, and he had stayed cool calm and collected, ever the peace maker. But the look in his eyes this time was different, he was very very frightened. My Dad stared at him and I glanced between them. My fathers face tensed up as he realised Carlisle fears.

"What?… what is it?"

I had never wished I could read peoples minds as much as I did right now, what were they not telling me?

"She will stay here with us for now"

My father was rather sudden in his demanding tone. He used that tone when he was protecting the people closest to him, and I knew better than to argue with him. The three of us went and swept back into the room. Jacob was standing in the far corner of the room leaning in his casual way against the wall. The glass had ripped his shirt across his stomach making it flap down showing his belly. His glorious tanned skin was pulled tight over his stomach muscles and I felt it make me blush. He looked so sexy right there and the imminent danger made me so hot for him right now. But I was quickly snapped out of my trance when I realised my dad was in the room and probably reading my ever single thought. How embarrassing. I walked over to Jacob. He did not look back at me and kept his eyes fixed on Nimueh, but he held out an arm so that I cold tuck inside it and press into his chest. He was warm and he smelt like home. I slipped my hand inside the tear in his shirt to place my hand on his hot skin. It was just my way of saying to him 'you're mine'. There were discussions happening on the other side of the room surrounding Nimueh so we were rather unnoticed in the corner of the room. I leant forward to whisper in his ear.

"My father wants her to stay here for a while, so that they can take care of her. Maybe we should take our leave?"

Jacob nodded, but as we went to make for the door to leave Nimueh hopped off the table slipping a green silk dressing gown on over her shoulders. Her hands were swift and fluid as they tied the sash at the front.

"Now I shall fix your window"

She strode quickly out of the room and everyone was so shocked at her sudden change of direction that they were all a second behind following her. She was fluid down the stairs like she was floating above the ground not even touching it. She swept around the room gathering the various containers of broken glass. There were bins and baskets and pots and pans, all filled with shards of glass. She was very quick to get to work. My family and myself had formed an audience on the far side of the room. Esme let out a disappointed sigh when Nimueh began to pour the glass out of its containers onto the floor where the window should be rising out of the now empty metal frame. Esme had clearly spent what she regarded as a lot of effort getting all the glass 'off' the floor.

"Dr Cullen… you will like this."

Nimueh said with a human but devilish grin.

She began to hum. It was such a clear sound that we could hear it clearly from across the room. But the hum got higher and higher until it disappeared. But I knew that it was just beyond our hearing now. The glass was all vibrating and then to my astonishment I saw it begin to break down, as if it were becoming dust. Making piles of dust where the shards had been. the more it broke down the more it began to shine until it started to look like liquid.

Nimueh bent down and buried her hands in the liquid like glass piles. As she stood up slowly the liquid glass followed her hands spreading up inside the frame like the surface of a bubble. It waved and wobbled like water until it met the top. It stayed there as Nimueh pulled her hands out of it. It snapped away from her like a bubble and ripped outwards from where she stood. She looked up at her handy work but she began to pull chunks of the strange liquid glass from the centre shaping them up into vase like shapes. It was incredible to watch, it was like seeing glass blowing done by a person who feels no pain, and is able to sculpt with their hands like clay. She sculpted the wobbly shapes of Esme's three large glass vases that had been smashed earlier. She lined them up on the floor in front of her. Nimueh stood back from her watery masterpiece and I saw her take a breath in. She let out a short, sharp, ringing yelp. It was an animal sound not at all human, and as she did so, the liquid glass solidified perfectly smooth snapping into place as if it had never been smashed. The three vases in front of her were clean and smooth, not the wobbly shapes they had just been.

Nimueh picked up one of the vases and turned it over in her hands to inspect her work then she strode over to Esme who stood stunned looking at her fresh glass wall Nimueh carefully handed Esme the glass vase as if she were handling a new born baby. Nimueh gave Esme the same look she had given me so many times, the look of a woman dammed, cursed, and condemned.

"I am sorry about your window and your vases I hope I can go some way towards redeeming my self"

Nimueh bowed her head to Esme. And Esme bowed her head back.

"Thank you Nimueh, you have redeemed yourself. And we hope that we can help you in return"

Esme broke her enchanting smile. I knew that this was our queue to leave. I walked over and hugged my mother tight

"When Jason comes for his visit give us a ring ok and Dad and I will come and pay him a visit"

"Ok mum, love you so much"

I turned and hugged my Dad in the same way.

"Don't worry Ness ok, everything is going to be fine."

I nodded and smiled to him as best I could.

I turned and took Jacob's hand, Jacob lead me out of the door. My last look back was when I stole a glance over my shoulder at Nimueh. She smiled at me and I could almost see it written on her face, the words "good bye"


End file.
